March 26, 2015

by James Glazebrook

When Context Travel invited us on one of their walking tours, we chose “Walking the Wall”, and then immediately regretted our decision! As tourist attractions go, we’ve always found the Berlin Wall to be a deep disappointment – after all, it’s only steel and concrete, daubed in hippy-dippy murals. And surely, as Berlin residents and bloggers, we already know everything there is to know about this part of the city’s past?

It turns out we needn’t have worried, because our guide Rasmus brought to life the human history of the Cold War era, with anecdotes gathered from unique sources like his older colleagues, stories running from the tragic to the ironic. We were particularly fascinated by the city’s struggle to preserve a lasting legacy while balancing the interests of the people whose properties line the memorial site, and the broader population whose taxes are paying for it. True to the travel company’s name, we got context in spades, and learned a great deal more about the history of the Berlin Wall. Choose a day with guaranteed good weather (if that’s a thing), and book a “Walking the Wall” tour here.

April 23, 2013

by James Glazebrook

Wish you were here? Just in case you can’t be in Berlin to enjoy the onset of summer, or indeed if you’ve never been, here – in no particular order – are some great 360° panoramas of the city that might go some way to making you feel like you’re actually here. All images courtesy of 360Cities.net.